Just tall enough for the tires to touch the ground. Seriously though, IF you are concerned about drive throughs/parking garages, I never had a problem with my '01 and I had a Yakima on the top of it. The crosbars were up about 2 inches over the top of the stock rails, and then I had a couple of bike carriers up there. Been in parking garages and many drive-thrus. I would think that I was close in some places, but then would see Expeditions and Tahoes in there. They have got to be taller then me in stock trim...